A new Tamarind Intelligence survey, published on the World Nicotine Congress website, gives a timely insight into how Members of…
The reshuffle within DG Santé is therefore more than procedural. It signals a process under strain, but also an opportunity to correct course. Whether the Commission restores confidence or deepens the credibility gap will depend on what happens next.
For a Parliament that routinely proclaims its commitment to evidence-based policymaking and the highest possible level of public health protection scientific evidence should not be controversial.
In recent statements by Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi it is not only the original public health logic that has been quietly abandoned. It is also any meaningful commitment to factual integrity, proportionality, and open, good faith debate.
In a recent interview, EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi stated that alternative tobacco products are “as harmful as traditional cigarettes.” Regardless of where individual products are placed within regulatory definitions, the underlying assertion remains the same—and it is wrong.
How can the Commission have an “official position” on products that it does not even regulate?
This is deeply concerning. – it also risks undermining both trust in the Commission’s processes and Europe’s ability to design proportionate, evidence-based regulation.